Atomizing or spraying apparatus



March 18, 1969 v. P. M. BALLU 3,433,393

ATOMIZING OR SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. ll, 1967 United States PatentM 3,433,393 ATOMIZING OR SPRAYING APPARATUS Vincent P. M. Ballu,Epernay, France, assignor to Tecnoma, Epernay, Marne, France, a companyof France Filed Aug. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 660,092 Claims priority,application France, Aug. 30, 1966, 7 7

us. (:1. 222-402 1m. (:1. B0511 9/04 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis invention relates to atomizing or spraying apparatus into whichliquid to be atomized is placed under pressure by means of a hand pumpassociated with the apparatus and is emitted from the apparatus by saidpressure.

According to the invention, a spraying or atomizing apparatus comprisesa liquid reservoir provided with an air pump extending through thereservoir to engage opposed walls thereof and provide a tension bracingmember for said walls thus diminishing the stresses to which the saidwalls are subjected under the influence of the pressure within thereservoir.

Furthermore, advantageously, the securing of the pump is effected insuch manner that when the said pump is dismantled from the reservoir anypressure air which may remain in the reservoir can escape before thebody of the pump is freed from the reservoir.

The description which follows hereinbelow, with reference to theaccompanying drawing which is given purely by way of nonlimitativeexample, will show how the invention may be carried into effect.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a view in longitudinal section of an atomizing or sprayingapparatus according to the invention, and

FIGURES 2 and 3 are magnified sections, along the lines IIII and III-IIIrespectively of FIGURE 1, showing details of that apparatus.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the atomizing apparatuscomprises a reservoir 1, which is made for example from welded andcrimped stainless sheet steel, and the terminal walls 2 and 3 of whichare concave. The upper wall 2 is formed with a large central aperture 4having a turned-down edge towards which the surrounding region of thesaid wall slopes gently, in such manner as i to constitute a funnelserving for the filling of the reservoir.

Towards one side, the wall 2 is also formed with an aperture 5 servingfor the fitting of a connecting member 6 from which extends, internally,a dip-tube 7 to a point near the bottom wall 3 of the reservoir and,externally, a tube 8 to which there may be connected a flexible tubeserving for dispensing the product to be atomized.

Engaged in the aperture 4 is the pressurizing air pump of the atomizingapparatus, which comprises a cylindrical casing 9 to the upper end ofwhich is secured, (for example by injection molding) a head 10. The head10 has a skirt 11 the diameter of which is smaller than that 3,433,393Patented Mar. 18, 1969 of the aperture 4 in which it is to be engaged.The skirt 11 has longitudinal centering ribs 12. It is joined by ashallow groove 13 (intended to receive a fluid-tight packing 14) with acollar 15 which, when the pump is fully inserted in the reservoir, bearsagainst the wall 2 (FIG- URE 1).

Formed in the end face of the head are air passage apertures 16 and alsoa bore 17 through which extends rod 18 of the pump piston 19.

The rod 18 is provided with a hollow handle 20, part of which is shownin section in FIGURE 3 and which has under its lower face a hook 21 ofsector-shape which is adapted to be engaged under a retaining bead 22,provided on the head 10, from either end of the bead, for the purpose oflocking the handle on the head when the pump is not in use. Disposed inthe center of the bead 22 is a projection 23 which forms an end stop forthe sector hook. When it is desired to utilise the pump, the handle isturned in the required direction to disengage the sector hook from thebead.

At its lower portion (the edge of which is slightly flared) thecylindrical casing 9 of the pump contains an end piece 24 which ismaintained in place by one or more lateral screws 25 and thefluid-tightness of which is provided by means of a peripheral packing 26lodged in a groove 27 formed in the said end piece.

The end piece 24 is hollow and its upper end face 28 is formed withapertures 29 under which is provided a small conical valve 30, which iscentrally held by means of a mushroom pin 31 in a small central aperturein the end face.

The said valve uncovers and blocks the aperatures 29 in accordance withthe functioning rhythm of the pump.

In FIGURE 1, in the conventional manner, the valve portion to the leftof the pin 31 has been shown open and that to the right of the pin hasbeen shown closed. Internally, the end piece 24 is tapped and engages ascrewthreaded base member 32 to which it is screwed in such manner as toleave the valve 30* sufiicient space for its displacement. The basemember 32 is furthermore formed 'with conduits 33 the purpose of whichis to allow the passage of the air delivered by the pump to the maininterior space of the reservoir, the conduits opening below the endpiece 24 which does not reach the bottom wall 3 of the reservoir.

The base member 32 bears on the bottom 3 through a sealing ring 34. Itis fast with a scre wthreaded securing pin 35 extending through thebottom wall 3 and receiving a hearing or support washer 36 and a nut 37lodged in the outer hollow of the bottom wall.

The pump piston is provided with a dished packing 38, the innerperiphery of which is engaged in a groove 39 formed in the rod 18.

The mode of'functioning of the pump is the same as in conventionalreciprocating Ipurnps of this type.

In order to fill the reservoir, the pump is dismantled, by turning thehandle 20 so that it bears on the stop 23 and rotates the head 10 withthe casing 9, so that the end piece 24 is unscrewed fromthe base member32 which remains fixed to the bottom of the reservoir by means of itsnut 37. The pump is displaced upwards during this unscrewing operationand, as soon as the packing 14 of the head moves out of contact with thewall 2, pressure air in the reservoir can escape between the head andthe edge of the aperature 4 due to the shaping (designed for thispurpose) of the skirt 11 and of the ribs 12. Thus, pressure equilibriumis established with the exterior before the pump becomes detached fromthe bottom of the reservoir, and in this way uncontrolled displacementof the pump by air pressure in the reservoir is avoided.

It is self-evident that modifications may be made in 3 the embodimentjust described, notably by substituting equivalent technical means,without thereby exceeding the scope of the present invention as definedin the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spraying or atomizing apparatus comprising, in combination, aliquid reservoir, an air pump, a body of said pump extending throughsaid reservoir, opposed end walls of the reservoir having engagementmeans rtor mutually spaced parts of said pump body whereby the bodyprovides a tension bracing member for said walls, a head at one end ofsaid pump body being arranged to engage one of said reservoir walls byabutment with the external face thereof, a skirt extending from the headtowards the other of said reservoir walls, an aperture in said one wallreceiving said skirt, said skirt and aperture defining between them afluid passage space and a packing ring on the head being provided toseal against said one wall to seal the exit from said space, said headbeing displaceable for disengagement of the packing ring to permit theescape of pressure fluid from the reservoir through said passage space.

2. Apparatus according to claim '1 further characterized on that saidengagement means securing the head to the reservoir are arranged toremain in engagement with the head during the initial displacement ofthe packing ring opening said passage space to the exterior.

3. Apparatus according to claim '1 wherein an aperture in one of saidopposed walls receives the pump body, a connecting arrangement fixed tothe other opposed wall being engageable with an end of the body insertedthrough said aperture to secure the body in the reservoir, a valve ofsaid pump and passages communicating between one side of said valve andthe reservoir main interior space being carried by said connectingarrangement.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein an element of said connectingarrangement is tfixed to the reservoir end wall opposite said aperturedwall and a screwthreaded engagement is provided between said element andthe pump body whereby the body may be removed from the reservoir.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 644,971 3/ 1900 Dull 222-401775,065 11/ 1904 Lawless 222-401 1,228,746 6/ 1917 Charles 222-4021,461,5 46 7/ 1923 Robertson 222-402 X 1,528,021 5/ 1925 Brandt 222-4021,878,472 9/ 1932 Dodelin 222-402 X FOREIGN PATENTS 263,679 3/ 1929Italy.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

